Wiring device



H. HUBBELL WIRING DEVICE Oct. 29, 1968 Filed June 10, 1966 III HTTORNE'Y 3,408,618 Patented Oct. 29, 1968 United States Patent Filed June 10, 1966, Ser. No. 556,671 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-196) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved wiring device having a metal shell With inwardly deformed locking portions and an insulating wiring devlces, and more particularly to providing in them panying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a complete electrical connector cap constructed in tion and showing the improved fastening means in phantom lines;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the FIG. 1 connector cap showing the fasteners in solid lines in locking posirotated to an unlocking position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 2 showing the fastener in locked position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the fastener;

accordance with this invenshafts 36.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a modification or" the fastener;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3, showing the locking action of the modified fastener and metal shell; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing in detail the modified locking portion of the shell. to the drawing,

device where they are wired to the terminals of contact blades 20.

The metal shell has a generally cylindrical wall 11 and one planar end wall 13. The wall 11 is provided with a plurality of arcuately inwardly deformed portions 22 The fasteners 26 comprise the referred-to shaft 36 which is rivet-like, and a slotted head 38 having an eccentric wedge-shaped camming head portion 40. When assembled on the insulator section 12, the fastener 26 are mounted to be selectively rotated, but firmly secured and precluded from any vertical motion by the downward force of spring washer 42 transferred through plain washer 44 to the splayed retaining end 46 of the rivet shaft 36.

V In use, the insulator section 14 is placed in the shell, and the insulator section 12 with the fasteners 26 attachedv thereto is seated in the shell adjacent section 14.

means and cable leads. In fasteners are adjusted to their positions represented by the phantom lines in FIG. 2. A screwdriver or other suitable tool is used to engage the slotted heads 38 and to rotate the fasteners. After the section 12 is mounted in the shell, the heads 38 are rotated toward their solid line position. This rotation causes the eccentric carnming head portions 40 to underlie sheared edge 24 of the inwardly deformed portion 22. As the fastener is rotated into the solid and phantom line in FIG. 2 by comparing positions.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of the fasten ers and shell of the invention.

The basic features of the modified wiring device are simil ar to the first onedescribed and similar parts are given similar numerals with a prime added. The modified construction allows the fasteners to positively engage the deformed portions of the metal shell with a snapping action. and efiect a positive lock that cannotbe released by vibration.

The modified fastener 26' comprises a shaft 36' anda slotted head 38 having an eccentric wedge-shaped head portion 40. On the upper surface of the portion 40 .a wedge-shaped camming rib 48 is formed with an inclined face 50 formed at one side. The inwardly deformed portions 22 of the metal shell are provided withrib receiving slots 52 cut into the sheared-edge 24'.

When'assembl'ed, a spring washer 42 is interposed between the head portion 40' of the fastener and the insulation section 12. The fastener is retained in place by a plain washer 44 and the splayed retaining end46 of the rivet-like shaft 36'. The insulation sections 12', 14' are seated within the metal shell, and a screwdriver may be used to turn the head 38' of the fastener 26'. As the fastener is rotated, the inclined face 50 of rib 48 acts as a lever to cam the fastener downwardly against the upward force of the spring washer 42, which positively snaps the fastener upwardly when the camming rib 48 is moved to a position under the rib engaging slot 52. When so positioned, a positive lock is effected which cannot be jarred loose. To effect disassembly, it is only necessary to reversely rotate the fastener 26 while vertically.

depressing the the rib 48 out of the slot 52.

It is understood that the present made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be restorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an electrical wiring device: a shell; at least one locking portion formed in said shell; an insulating member disposed in said shell and fixedly positionable therein, said insulating member provided with at least one positioning cut-out which clears said locking portion and allows said insulating member to be inserted into said shell; and at least one fastener carried by said insulating member and ing portion of said shell to secure said insulating member in said shell in response to slight angular turning of said fastener.

2. The electrical wiring device defined in claim 1 wherein said insulating member is provided with a cutout porhead 38' to disengage disclosure has been arranged to coact selectively with said lockfastener an tion arranged to receive an eccentrichead portion of the d allow said head portion to rotate therein.

3. In an electrical wiring device: a shell comprising a cap having an one locking portion formed in said prising a ra lating member disposed, in said shell andfixedlypositionend wall anda cylindrical wall; at least shell, said locking able therein, said insulating member having at least one positioning cut-out which clears said allows said insulating member at least one fastener shell; and

locking ,portion and to-be inserted into said carried by said insulating member and arranged to coact selectively with said locking portion of said shell to secure said insulating member in said shell in response to slight angular turning of said fastener, wherein said fastener-comprises a rotatable rivet like shaft having awedge-shaped eccentric which is arranged to u said eccentric head portion .is provided with means by which the said fastenermay be rotated, and wherein said' derlie said locking portion and insulating member is also provided with a cut-out portion arranged to receive said eccentrichead portion to allow said head portion to rotate therein. I p

4. In an electrical'wiring device: a shell comprising a cap having an end wall and a cylindrical wall; at least one locking portion formed in said shell, said locking portion bein prising a V ra slot therein; aninsulating member disposed and fixedly positionable therein; ried by said selectively with said locking portion, prising a rotatable 'headportionw ith a g located in said cylindrical wall and comdially inwardly deformed portion having a in said shell insulating member and arranged to coact rivet-like shaft having an eccentric wedge-shaped camming rib disposed upon its face arranged to be selectively positionable within said slot; and spring means disposed so as to bias said fastener upwardly thereby allowing the said fastener to have vertical downward motion, whereby said insulating member may be sec-ur'edin said shell in response to slight angular turning of said fastener.

v UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited 399-136X FOREIGN PATENTS 5/1950 Austria.

' 5/1912 Germany.

4/ 1953 Great Britain.

RICHARD E. MOQRE, Primary Examiner.

', an insu-,

e d P r ion at least one fastener cari said fastener com- 

